Hedorah
A pollution-fed alien kaiju embodying environmental destruction.
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Hedorah (ヘドラ, Hedora), also known as the Smog Monster, is a giant monster (kaiju) who first appeared in Toho's 1971 film Godzilla vs. Hedorah. Named for the Japanese word for sludge, slime, vomit, or chemical ooze, Hedorah was envisioned as an embodiment of Yokkaichi asthma, caused by Japan's widespread smog and urban pollution at the time. The monster represents a shift in the Godzilla series toward environmental commentary, with its amorphous, pollution-fed form and grotesque movements emphasizing its otherworldly nature.
Background
Hedorah was developed as a response to Japan's pollution crisis, with director Yoshimitsu Banno stating his intention to give Godzilla an adversary representing 'the most notorious thing in current society.' The monster's vertically tilted eyes were based on vaginas, which Banno joked were 'scary.' Originally to be named 'Hedoron,' the name was changed after the TV series Spectreman introduced a character with an identical name. The suit was performed by Kenpachiro Satsuma, who emphasized Hedorah's grotesque, non-animal movements.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Hedorah (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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